Eleven of the 24 cuts on this survey of Miles Davis's 1951–1956 recordings come from the Miles Davis Quintet & All Stars albums (Walkin', Steamin', Relaxin', Cookin', and Workin'). "Beginning now, one passionate note from Miles Davis seems to imply a whole complex of expressive sound, and three notes a ravishing melody," writes jazz historian Martin Williams re the title track of Walkin'. Other highlights include the title song from Dig: Miles Davis Featuring Sonny Rollins, John Lewis's "Morpheus" from Miles Davis and Horns, and "Four" from Blue Haze as well as "If I Were a Bell," "My Funny Valentine," "Solar," "When Lights Are Low," and "Surrey With the Fringe on Top."

"If I had to come up with a list of my favorite 50 jazz records, all four 1956 sets by Miles Davis's first great quintet Cookin', Workin', Relaxin', and Steamin' would make the cut. If pressed to name my 10 favorite tunes of all time, I'd doubtless include 'It Never Entered My Mind' from Workin' and '''Round Midnight' from 1954's Miles Davis and the Modern Jazz Giants…. The tracks Miles's quintet recorded for Prestige between November 1955 and October 1956 still reign as some of the most perfect music ever laid down in a studio…. His plaintive, lonely solo on 'It Never Entered My Mind' … constitutes some of the loveliest sounds ever put to wax. Same goes for his opening solo on ''Round Midnight,' which many people consider to be the definitive version of Monk's tune."—Steve Greenlee, Boston Globe